Old Cab at All Saints, Manchester

Adolphe Valette 1876 - 1942

Summary

A hazy autumnal scene of a hansom cab parked at the curb of Grosvenor Square (All Saints) on Oxford Road in Manchester. The view is from Oxford Road, looking west where a horse and cab dominate the centre of the composition. Seen in profile to the left: the white horse is fed from a nosebag as it rests with a blanket over its hindquarters, whilst the driver puts his feet up and smokes a pipe. A small group of figures have paused near the horse's head at the left of the scene, as other pedestrians pass by between the cab and the wall beyond, which is topped with iron railings. Behind the wall are the silhouetted forms of trees and further back still stand the hazy masses of buildings. To the left, the building with the domed roof was formerly the Registry Office and the building to the extreme right is the corner of All Saints Church, which used to be sited in the centre of the square, before it was bombed during the Second World War.

Display Label

Old Cab at All Saints 1911 Adolphe Valette 1876-1942 Oil on linen and jute Taken from Oxford Road and looking across All Saints, this was clearly conceived by Valette as a pendant to Hansom Cab at All Saints, painted the previous year. Valette taught at the School of Art which is just out of the picture on the left. The domed building was formerly the Registry Office. On the far right is the silhouette of All Saints church. This used to be in the middle of the square, but was bombed in the Second World War. Purchased 1928.34